The present invention relates to the field of golf club grips, and more particularly to golf club grips which are readily replaceable and reusable.
Conventional golf club grips usually are made of a flat, elongate strip of fabric, leather or other flexible material is wound around the grip end of a golf club shaft and secured thereon with an adhesive. The grip thus formed is semi-permanent. When it is worn, or a golfer desires to change the grip, it may be removed with difficulty, generally by cutting it and installing a new grip in a similar fashion. Removal of a grip often destroys it so that it is not reusable. Furthermore, because of the need for cutting tools, adhesives and the like, it is inconvenient for a golfer to change a golf club grip himself. Rather, this is conventionally done by a skilled worker in a golf store or pro shop.
Today, the selection of golf club grips is rather limited in style and color. Typically, grips are either brown or black. This sharply limits the ability to differentiate a particular golf club by its grip. Further, limited selection and interchangeability of grips impedes a golfer's ability to select and use grips that coordinate with or complement his or her golf attire. Nor do conventional grips help to distinguish a golfer's clubs from another golfer's club.
Conventional golf club grips exhibit an elongate frustoconical exterior, thickening toward the end of the shaft to provide a larger gripping area as compared to the shaft. The frustoconical shape of a golf club grip is not optimal for golfing performance, however, as it provides no guidance to the golfer to grip the club in the same manner for each use. A pair of grips having a relatively flat surface portion, are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,877,018. The grips shown in that patent, however, are permanently secured to the club shaft in the conventional manner. A removable cover directed to drying and protecting a golf club grip when not in use is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,415. A detachable grip for fishing rods is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,410,017.
Accordingly, a need remains for a golf club grip which is easily replaceable on a golf club shaft by golfers without pro shop assistance and may be reusable after removal by the golfer from the golf club. A further need remains for a detachable golf club grip of the type described above which exhibits any of a variety of colors or markings for identifying golf clubs and/or for coordinating with the golfer's garb or other equipment.